the hwangbo curse
by JAE NI
Summary: Baek Ah's mission was to arrive safely in Songak. He totally did not understand where the man in black came from, nor who was the mysterious woman he saw that night. And that's not even the weird part of his journey!


**Me, writing the outline: Oh, it's going to be a easy and short one.**

 **Me, staring at a document with 12k words after putting off other projects and wips at almost 2AM: nice.**

 **Honestly, it took too much of my energy to finish this. So I haven't even read it yet - it's too long - and it's probably full of mistakes.**

 **Even so, I still think I could have done it better. Because it was taking too long I focused on the core scenes, and not on the characterization or even the evolution of their bonds. Whatever, at this point I just want to put this story out.**

 **And yet, I hope you like it? Like, what?**

 **Also, Ladyhawke was a great movie when I was a kid. I don't care what you say.**

 **(In Brazil the movie was titles The Aquila Spell - or something like that - so now you know how I came up with this title)**

Sometimes Baek Ah thought he had the best luck in the world.

The other times, however, he was sure he didn't.

He thought it was a great opportunity to be invited by his brother, who was the new king of Goryeo by the way, to visit the capital for the first time in his life

He thought that, after growing up in solitude at his mother's house, his life was about to change for the best with him getting acquainted with his father's sons, and by starting a new life in the palace.

Baek Ah really thought he had his life on track.

That's why he couldn't understand how it changed so much, so abruptly, and he had ended up right there.

In a prison.

With guards.

Stripped down to his undergarments.

"For the last time, I didn't know I wasn't allowed to play the gayageum in the middle of the street!" he begged to the closest guard, still trying to convince him to let him go, "I swear to you I didn't, otherwise why would I do it?"

The guard does not say a thing, which a rude move of his part, and makes him wish once again to go back in time and never leave his home.

That, or that he could at least use his 'I am a prince' card and make all doors and gates open for him.

He's still in the Hwangbo clan lands, because apparently, there was some sort of law forbidding wanderers from playing any kind of instrument in public.

If that wasn't a stupid rule, he didn't know what else was.

He used any effective means to escape, and that was too much trouble just to meet a few brothers he never ever heard about.

And then his life had another sudden shift.

A man in black invaded the building, apparently just to take or something else in a table with confiscated weapons and other objects - like Baek Ah's gayageum.

And when he's about to run away, he decides to free him as well.

Not that Baek Ah is complaining.

But if he could have a say in the matter, he would have preferred to leave the prison peacefully, rather than fighting against Hwangbo soldiers for his life.

Or using his beloved gayageum to hit their leader in the head, and then dashing out of the building, jumping on his horse, and charging to the safety of the woods, balancing his instrument, his bag and his clothes in his arms as he holds the reins.

By then, Baek Ah was already sure his life had suddenly become a mess.

He had no idea.

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Baek Ah doesn't know how long they run, but when the man in black finally stops his horse they are far deep in the woods, and the sun is covered by the heavy foliage above them.

He is still out of breath from their previous encounter, panting along with his horse, that wasn't expecting to be under such a strain so soon in the morning and not in such a peaceful part of the country. Meanwhile, the man in black hasn't even broken a sweat, and his horse moves around, still energetic.

Also holding a hawk on a wrist bandaged with a leather stripe, even though Baek Ah didn't see when the bird arrived, or if it was always there on the first place.

He stumbled upon a beast, for sure.

"You," the man speaks, pointing to him with his sword, which doesn't ease Baek Ah in the slightest, "Why are they after you?"

"Why did you save me?" He retorts his question with another question. Too bewildered to be scared if the man is about to kill him.

"You must have done something to annoy the Hwangbo. And you just helped me escape by hitting Won in the head with a gayageum. That makes you an ally," Baek Ah is still trying to understand the man's logic when he repeats his question, "Now, why do they want to take you?"

He takes a deep breath. The man must think Baek Ah is some sort of warrior, or a rebel, or anything of the sort. Someone who could help him in whatever plan he had, or that could at least contribute with information and strategies.

He is almost embarrassed to let the man down with his clarification, "I was playing the gayageum in public."

The man scoffs, but doesn't look disappointed or annoyed.

"Is there a law forbidding playing music in public?" He asks incredulous.

"I know!" Baek Ah exclaims when he notices the man is in as much dismay as he is, "It's such a ridiculous law! Whatever is this place anyway?"

"First time in the Hwanghu?" The man asks, but it's obvious he knows the answer already, so Baek Ah only nods in agreement, "Where are you headed to?"

"Songak," he decided it's not worth to try to hide that from the man in black, so he gives the truth - just not all of it, "I have to deliver an important message."

Then it's the man's turn to nod, not asking any more details, before he pulls his horse to slow stride in the same direction they were running to before, "Come with me then."

Baek Ah's eyes bulge, as his lonely journey to Songak seems to be getting weirder as time passes, "Why?"

"Do you have any option?" The man doesn't look back to answer and he has no other option but to follow him, "Your name?"

"Kim Baek Ah," he has already practiced enough to convince everyone he's not lying when he uses his mother's name. Using his father's name might not seem too wise, and despite having just saved his life, the man in black is also a stranger, "I didn't happen to catch yours."

"That's because I didn't tell you."

"Alright."

Baek Ah chooses to follow him in silence.

After all, if the guards find him, he'll be dead for sure. He has no option but go with the man in black.

Even though he is quite closed and silent.

After galloping for a couple of hours through a path Baek Ah had never noticed in the few days he spent roaming the land of the Hwangbo - he assumes it's a secret path or something like that - the man suddenly stops and climbs down from his horse.

"Let's stop here for the night," he says curtly, and starts to remove the saddle from his horse and tie him closer to a bush of high grass.

Baek Ah watches him confusion, waiting for an explanation that never comes, "But there's still plenty of light."

One pointy look from the man makes Baek Ah climb down from his horse as well, and bringing it closer to his.

The man must have a long time and a large experience of traveling alone, because in a few minutes he had gathered wood, started a small fire, and was preparing some food that Baek Ah had no idea of what was called, but it smelled delicious and watered his mouth.

Oh yeah, Baek Ah did nothing but watch the man working in silence.

But who could blame him? He had spent his entire life in a fancy house, he didn't know how to survive in the woods.

After swallowing down the food, the man suddenly stood up and started roaming through his stuff. Baek Ah wasn't about to question him, until he finally spoke.

"Watch the horses," his words were authoritative, even if they made Baek Ah a little uncertain, "And don't let the fire die."

"Shouldn't we be discreet to not be found by the Hwangbo guards?"

"They wouldn't believe we were keeping the fire up, so that's a great cover."

"That doesn't make much sense," Baek Ah retorts after a few seconds of silence, "Why wouldn't they-"

"Is the food still warm?" The man in black interrupted him, as if he hadn't said anything at all.

"Yes. Would you like to-"

He would have finished his question if, when he turned around, the man hadn't suddenly disappeared.

Baek Ah sighs in frustration. He knew it was risky to follow someone eccentric into the woods, even if said man had just rescued him from a prison, but now there is no way he can walk away.

Not because of some stupid thing like duty or loyalty, no. It's because he has no idea of where he is.

After almost an hour of complete solitude, Baek Ah decides the man is not going to return any time soon. And it's not like he's brave enough to march into the unknown dark woods to try to find him, so he stays put.

He'll have to come back to retrieve his horse and his luggage sooner or later, anyway.

When he's deliberating about extinguishing the fire or not, he hears movement, and decides to wait until the man in black appears.

But then a voice breaks out the silence of the night.

"Hello?" That sweet and melodic voice definitely wasn't the man in black's.

"Who are you?" Baek Ah jumps to his feet and leans his hand closer to the man's sword, not sure if he should trust the woman who appeared suddenly out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry," she raises her hands to show she's unarmed as has no ill intention, "I got lost, and then I saw your fire..."

She sounds apprehensive, but also a little bit relieved, and Baek Ah is glad he followed the man's advice of keeping the fire going.

He knows he's a little too gullible after being raised in a protected home, but if the woman wanted to steal or kill him, she could have done it a long time ago, so Baek Ah lowers his hand and sits back to his place next to the fire.

"It's okay. You just scared me, that's all."

She walks a little closer, and he can finally see her traits - a short lady who could pass as a child if not for the maternal aura and the mature glint on her eyes, her white creamy skin contrasting with the black coat she used to protect herself from the cold.

"Can I stay here for a while?" She asks and Baek Ah's awe breaks like a bubble.

"Sure. Come closer, sit by the fire."

He motions her to come next to the fire, and she sits down immediately, raising her hands to the fire to warm them.

"I thought I would be spending the night alone," she says as she pulls the cloak off her head, revealing a long black hair, "Aren't you afraid of being all by yourself in the woods?"

"Oh, I'm not alone. I have a traveling companion, he just… seems to be quite distant now," Baek Ah looks around one more time to make sure that, yes, he's all alone, "I guess he's keeping watch somewhere. But we can help you to get home in the morning."

"It's alright. I just need shelter for the night," Her smile is reassuring, and he's about to stop pestering her with questions, but as soon as she finishes speaking her stomach growls in protest. She makes an embarrassed face and then asks shyly, "I'm sorry, but is there any food?"

"Here you go, and it's still warm."

Baek Ah offers her the large portion of leftovers, silently glad that the man in black had made so much and reminded him to keep it warm.

The poor woman starts to eat quickly, and it's clear that she hasn't eaten for quite a while now.

"May I ask your name?" He asked after a while, unsure of how to approach her.

"Soo. Hae Soo." She smiles again, and it's like the cold air evaporates around her.

"Well, Soo-yah, you just met your company for the night," he introduces himself as politely as possible, glad he won't be all alone or in the company of the silent, moody and gloomy man that rescued him, "I'm Baek Ah. Kim Baek Ah."

"Thank you for your provisions, Baek Ah-nim," she bows her head and giggles and he feels like his luck is starting to turn again, and his newfound company would want to stick around until they arrived Songak.

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The following morning, Baek Ah wakes up with a kick.

He didn't even realize he had fallen asleep until the foot of the man in black hit him in his ribs and he jumped awake, trying to understand what was happening around him.

And what had just happened was kinda rude.

Before Baek Ah could complain, or even say anything at all, the man tossed him a pear - that almost hit him in the head by the way - and started to clean the place.

"Get up and get ready," the man said curtly, without even looking at him, "It's far too late in the morning. We need to leave before the guards come to the woods."

"Yes, sure," Baek Ah says weakly, wiping the sleep of his eyes, when suddenly he jumps to his feet, fully awake, "Wait, where's the girl?"

"Girl?" The man finally looks to him, his eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Yes, there was a lady here last night. She was lost and came by to sit next to the fire and even ate the leftovers," he takes the small bowl he offered the woman the last night to check if the visitor hadn't been just a dream, and then turns around to show it to the man, "See, it's empty."

"What was this girl like?" He asks, after taking the pot in his hands and verifying that, yes, it was most definitely empty.

"She was beautiful," it's the first thing that slips out from his mouth, "She looked like an innocent lady, but she wore this black cloak that made her look like a dangerous thief. She was actually really sweet though, and she had this melodic and soothing voice."

"She spoke?" The man in black broke him out of his stupor, speaking in distant tone as he feeds his hawk carefully, "What did she say?"

"She said her name was Hae Soo. Apparently she got lost and then followed the fire. And was also relieved that she wouldn't spend the night alone. I think she also talked about the weather or something like that, I fell asleep."

He fell asleep because he's a goofy raised in a mansion who's not used to staying up longer than his bedtime.

He was about to kick himself for letting the woman alone and unaccompanied for the rest of her journey.

Baek Ah really didn't want to be all alone with the moody and rude man.

"Didn't see her," the man finally says after musing in silence for a while, "When I came you were snoring alone."

"I don't snore!"

"Yes, you do. And it's pretty loud."

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That night, the man disappears once again.

Baek Ah can only think about how that would very long and tiresome journey if that pattern kept repeating, and he's left alone to take care of the horses alone in a dark forest.

Before he can contemplate running away once again, there is a rustle of leaves and the sound of steps approaching, and he takes the stranger's sword to defend himself.

Not that he knew how to use a sword or anything.

However, when the figure steps out from behind the trees, he relaxes and lowers his hand.

"Oh, it's you again!" He greets Hae Soo, who's already taking the black cloak from her head.

"Baek Ah-nim?" her eyes shine when she sees him, "You're here?"

"Why did you leave so early?" He blurts out, still not sure of what to feel after seeing her once again.

"I didn't want to be a burden," she explains with such an innocent tone that his frustration fades away, "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"It's alright, it's just… You didn't say anything before leaving…"

"Sorry."

"No, don't apologize," he reassures her quickly, motioning for her to come closer, "If you're looking for food or a bit of warmth, then just sit next to the fire."

Her smile comes back with full power, "Thank you."

Hae Soo sits down in front of him and seems to notice that he's attempting to make some tea with water from the stream and a bunch of leaves, because soon she looks up at him and offers some help.

Baek Ah tries to decline politely, but then Soo protests loudly, "I'm an expert at teas, and what you're doing will ruin the flavor."

He looks down to the mush of leaves, wondering if maybe he picked the wrong ones, but then Soo starts giggling.

"What?"

"You just look so clueless, how have you managed to survive alone?"

Baek Ah grunts, but he can't deny or retort, "I told you I have company. He just likes to have really long night walks. He's the one who cooks, but he never made any tea, and I miss tea."

She giggles again, taking the leaves and the pot from his hands. And, feeling like this will be the greatest - if not the weirdest - class he'll have in his life, he pays close attention.

Actually, he's glad they met again. He's relieved. His failed attempt to stay up the previous night didn't result in something tragic happening to the woman. And perhaps now he wouldn't be doomed to spending all his day time with a man that made him feel uneasy.

Except that he falls asleep once again.

And in the morning Hae Soo is gone.

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Traveling during the day with the man in black is still awkward, but Baek Ah lost his apprehensions and worries from their first encounter, so he feels more at ease knowing he has a powerful fighter keeping him company - even if said powerful fighter has weird habits and always looks like he wants to kill someone - and that at night, before merging with the dark trees, he would make a delicious meal.

Still, Baek Ah could only hope that the cheerful girl would show up again.

However, when she does show up, he can only shout angrily at her, his finger pointing out in aggravation.

"Yah! Are you a ghost?"

"Eh?" Hae Soo has frozen in her spot, clearly not expecting the sudden attack even before she actually said anything.

"How come you only come when it's night and I'm alone?" he continues to demand answers, "Why do you disappear in the morning? Why can't that rude man see you?"

"Rude man?" her confusion only seems to increase at his questions, "You mean your traveling companion?"

"Yes, him. Why he always says he didn't see you around?"

"I never saw him either," Soo speaks a little louder, getting exasperated as well, "Are you sure you're not the ghost? Or him?"

His anger cools down when he realizes how unreasonable he's being. So he just sighs and falls back to his previous spot next to the fire.

"This is just too weird, alright?" he exclaims, now more confused than angry, "You show up during the night, and then when it's morning you're gone."

"I'm just traveling by the main road," she replies, already walking closer, without even waiting for him to invite her, "But since I have no money, I can only walk into the woods to find shelter for the night."

Soo's explanation makes sense, as it was the strategy Baek Ah was sticking to before he became a fugitive with the man in black - all because he dared to play the gayageum in public.

"Why don't you just come with us, then?" he suggests, eager to have someone to save him from the journey with whoever that guy was, "My companion is not that bad, you'll know when you meet him."

"That is, if he actually exists, right?"

"Look, I'm sorry," he exclaims exasperated and she just giggles, "I'm not used to this kind of journey, so I'm freaking out."

"What's he like?" Soo asks him and he blinks in confusion.

"Hn?"

"Your traveling companion, what's he like?"

He takes a deep breath, unsure of where to start, and then just narrates to her the events that made them team up and head to Songak together. It was easy to make the man in black look like some mythical warrior and a heroic fighter - because that was exactly the first impression he had of him.

Hae Soo listens to it attentively, as if she's trying to grave every single word of his on her mind, as if he's saying something of the utmost secrecy that she could only ever dream of knowing.

"So he saved you?" She says after he finishes his story, "He seems nice."

"He does. Until you try to have a normal conversation with him."

"Maybe he's just a little stressed," she shrugs, as if she's trying to help them work well together, "You said he was being chased, right? Maybe he's just a little tense and worried about something. You could help him calm down a little."

He thinks about what she says, and agrees with her - maybe things could actually be better between them, and then his journey to Songak wouldn't be so exhaustive.

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"Yah, I'm telling you the truth," he repeats once again, groaning in frustration, as his horse trots next to the man's, "She was there."

"I'm not saying you're not," the strange's eyebrow arches, but the rest of his face remains unmoved and unfazed, his gaze focused on the bird that comes soaring down and lands on his wrist.

"You've got that look."

"I just asked if she has passed by recently."

"Don't mock me!" Baek Ah shouts angrily, tired of being treated like that, "You even drank her tea."

"And it was delicious," he managed to get on his nerves even while agreeing with him, "That's why I'm wondering where she went to."

The truth was that, after teaching him the basics of making a decent tea and providing advice to improve his interaction with the man in black, Hae Soo didn't show up again. When he woke up in the next morning and found her gone one more time, Baek Ah was actually hoping she would show up again at night.

However, days later, he has yet to see her again. Enduring the now new-found man's hobby, which is, apparently, to tease and annoy him, then laugh at his costs.

It's better than the glaring, but Baek Ah thinks it would be better to have someone easy-going joining the party, so he wishes to meet her soon.

But when he does, he doesn't feel reassured at all.

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After being abandoned by Hae Soo in the company of the man in black, she also abandoned him to spend the night all by himself. And only then did Baek Ah noticed how someone next to him in the woods helped him to relax and finally fall asleep.

One of these lonely nights, after trying to find a comfortable spot on the hard ground for hours, he decides he's not about to get some sleep any time sooner. Especially not when, as the sky starts to clear and the thick darkness becomes a penumbra. So he stands up and decides to go for a walk.

And that's when he sees it.

The largest wolf he has ever seen.

Actually, the first wolf he has ever seen, but compared the all the furs he's held before, that animal was gigantic.

It was a dangerous beast.

And it was looking right at him.

Baek Ah froze when he saw the giant blur of black before him, and he doesn't dare to move right now. He left the stranger's sword back at their camp, and he doubts he can outrun the wolf or escape to a tree. So he just stays rooted in the same place, hoping it will lose interest in him and move away.

And then Hae Soo comes in.

She's walking with ease and tranquility, her usual black cloak up and covering her head. Before he can shout or warn her to not come closer, however, she strides firmly in the wolf's direction.

"Soo-yah! That's..."

"I know," she replies curtly, without even looking at him - her attention focused on the animal, as she raises her hand to it.

Instead of ripping her arm off, or something like that, the wolf just leans in closer, allowing her to caress his head.

Baek Ah doesn't know what to say. He just stands there, watching this impossible and yet very real moment between the mysterious girl who taught him how to make tea and the massive black wolf that seems very happy to be stroked by her.

And then, as if he needed to be shocked once again this morning, Soo whispers something close to the wolf's ear, and, as the starts to walk away, the wolf follows her like a trained puppy.

The small lightning and the fog surrounding them makes the scene even more like a hallucination than a reality.

"Maybe I'm dreaming," his flabbergasted musing comes out loud, and Soo finally turns around to look at him, as she smiles mischievously.

"You are dreaming."

The woman and the wolf disappear into the trees, and when Baek Ah finally manages to move, the Sun's been already up for a while.

He makes it back to their camp without having his mind blown away, and only then does he break down and starts shaking in fear and talking to himself in confusion.

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"There was a wolf. It could have killed me, but it left me alone. And there's more…"

"She talked to him?"

"Look, I don't need you to make that face to know it sounds weird."

"And yet you keep on talking."

"What? You think I'm not about to lose my mind? I saw a girl talking to a wolf! Wouldn't you freak out as well? Where were you, by the way?"

"We're going to be late at this pace."

The man adjusts the hawk's position, whispers something to it, and lets it fly away.

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It was only a matter of time until the Hwangbo men found them.

And when they do, it's not very nice.

They were just about to leave their territory when they were ambushed. And the only reason they don't get killed instantly is So's quick reflexes and excellent knowledge of martial arts. Also, his hawk.

Since he's only a tagalong who can't fight, Baek Ah tries to stay out of the confront as much as possible, managing to evade attacks, and occasionally hit one of the men with his - ouch - gayageum. But his good luck runs out pretty fast.

One of the guards charges on his back, and he would have died if So's hawk didn't dive in right on the man's face.

And then, right after saving his life, it receives an arrow and falls to the ground.

There is a scream in the air - So's scream - as he dashes forward and strikes down the man with the bow that has just taken down the hawk - the last one standing. Then he drops his sword and runs to the wounded bird.

He approaches it carefully, speaking softly to it as he uses a piece of fabric to stop the bleeding. So holds it gently, being mindful of the claws and the spot the arrow is still buried, and then turns around to face him.

"Baek Ah-yah!" he flinches as the man uses his name for the first time, and fears for his life when he marches up to him, putting the wounded bird in his hands, "Take my horse, he's faster. Go up in that direction - straight ahead - and you'll find an old and dusty tower. Look for the astronomer Choi Ji Mong," he finally takes a breath in urgent speech, but only to speak with more emphasis, "Tell him it's a favor for the wolf dog. He'll know what to do."

He shakes his head miserably, listening to the loud and sharp noises the bird makes as it struggles against the man's hold, "The poor thing is already dead."

The man's eyes darken, and he seems to be about to kill Baek Ah as well just for saying those words.

"Listen," his grip on his shoulder hurt like actual knives digging into his flesh, "You're not allowed to fail. You must save this bird. You hear me? You must save her."

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The tower is easy to find, even if it isn't as degenerated as So said.

The Astronomer Choi Ji Mong, however, bothered him. Maybe because he looked at Baek Ah as if he knew all there was to know about his life.

And yet, he could only trust So's judgement and instruction and let him take the hawk on his hands and disappear in one of the few rooms in the top of the tower.

But still, Baek Ah has a weird feeling about all of this - not only the astronomer, but all of the stuff that makes him think he's hallucinating all the time. So he waits until Choi Ji Mong leaves the room before he comes in.

And he's not that surprised to see that Hae Soo is in there.

"Baek Ah-nim…"

"My companion and I were attacked," he starts explaining even before she asks him what happened, "I wasn't trained in any martial arts, so I could only watch. But he fought like a beast."

"How is he?"

"He took a few blows and might have a few scratches, but he'll live," he pauses and takes a deep breath, then he steps a little closer to the woman, who holds a cloth tightly against her shoulder, "His hawk flew in the middle of the fight to save me, and it ended up being wounded. But you know that, don't you?"

She looks pale and tired, but still manages to smile, "I know."

In the dark night a howl echoes in the distance and Soo moves closer to the window, staring into the distant trees.

"He's the wolf, isn't he? Somehow he's the wolf and you're the hawk," He knows his words are too ridiculous and that he's most likely hallucinating right now, but there is no other explanation for the things he has been witnessing ever since he left the prison in Hwangbo, "Soo-yah, are you a ghost?"

"I am sorrow." The girl answered simply, her smile gone, her eyes shining with tears for the first time ever since he met her.

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Baek Ah wanted to avoid Choi Ji Mong as much as possible - the man unsettled him even more than the man in black did -, but as soon as he steps out from the room, he sees the astronomer just standing there, waiting for him.

He can't actually escape.

"Do you who's the wolf dog accompanying you?" The man asks him right when Baek Ah is drinking a cup of tea, which makes him choke in surprise.

"What?"

"The man," Ji Mong clarifies, "The one who sent you. Do you know who he is?"

"No. I actually have my own matters to attend to in Songak."

"Then, do you know the King is dead?"

"Of course I do," Baek Ah wonders what one thing has to do with another, "It has been three years since the 2nd Monarch Hyejong passed away."

"I'm not talking about him," the man shakes his head, taking his teacup in his hands, but never drinking from it, "I'm talking about the 3rd Monarch Jeonjong."

"The 3rd Monarch is dead?" Baek Ah's bulge in surprise. What kind of chaos had happened ever since he left Silla? "When did it happen?"

"Around two years ago."

"What? No, that doesn't make any sense, just this month…"

"It is a secret to the people," Ji Mong explains calmly, as if Baek Ah's brain isn't almost bursting by trying to understand how that's possible, "But right now, the one commanding the nation is no other less than the owner of the land you just escaped from, the 8th Prince Wang Wook," he pauses, and then he seems to know the thoughts storming in Baek Ah's mind, "Why is he pretending that the previous king is still alive? He's trying to eliminate competition. Luring all of his father's sons to the palace and killing them one by one."

Then Baek Ah blinks rapidly in surprise. He can't even doubt the astronomer's words, as he never once stepped in the palace and doesn't know what kind of people his brothers were. And, well, his mother did find the invitation from the King a little bit too weird.

But things still don't make any sense.

"That… why? What does he have to gain?"

"To gain? Who knows what kind of thoughts roam in that man's mind," Ji Mong makes a miserable face, filling up Baek Ah's empty cup, "But if you want to know the reason, it is all because of a woman."

"A woman?"

"Yes. Hae Soo," the man clarifies and Baek Ah's eyes drift to the door of the room where he just saw her, while Choi Ji Mong continues his story, "She came from her family's land to learn in the Damiwon with the late Oh Sanggung, and there she captivated and befriended the princes that lived in the palace. I guess they all loved her in their own ways. Even the 8th Prince Wang Wook."

"He loved her?"

"As near as someone like him could. But the girl did not love him back, as her heart already belonged to another man. The 4th Prince Wang So."

Baek Ah nods quietly, remembering the story of his fourth brother who died in a clash in the borders, but his mind is still full of questions.

"And how does any of this relate to the 3rd Monarch?"

"After Jeonjong rose to the throne," Ji Mong continues, refusing to give a clear and immediate answer, "Hae Soo became a hostage of the King. Eager to help the woman, the 4th Prince set his pride aside and made an alliance with the 8th Prince. They had a deal to let Wang So leave Songak after the coup, and Wang Wook could have the throne for himself."

"Did the coup fail?"

Ji Mong makes a dismissive gesture with his hand, "The coup was a success. And that's why the 8th Prince holds power now."

"Then why…?"

"The 4th Prince Wang So also loved the girl Hae Soo," Ji Mong replies and Baek listens quietly, knowing he'll never get his answers otherwise, "And he intended to take her away with him when he left the city, to somewhere far away. The 8th Prince's sister, Hwangbo Yeon Hwa heard of that, and knowing that her brother's true intentions for craving the throne was so he could have her, told everything to Wook."

Baek Ah can already see where the man's narrative is going.

"So, the second he got the throne…"

"...He betrayed the 4th Prince," Ji Mong nods, "But there's something else you're mistaken about," he leans in closer and Baek Ah imitates him, too intrigued by this story to stop listening now, "Wang So wasn't killed. Nor in the palace nor the battle field. No, killing him was far too merciful for a man like Wang Wook. After all, he knew that even if he got rid of his brother, Hae Soo's heart wouldn't waver towards his. So he vowed that, if he couldn't have, neither could Wang So, and he called to the powers of darkness to cast a curse," A chill crawls down Baek Ah's back as the man says in a low voice, the air around them getting colder as his next words roll out of his mouth. "The agony of sunset and sunrise, when they can almost touch, but not. And it will continue as long as the sun rises and sets."

"During the day she becomes a hawk," Baek Ah mutters numbly, his brain running wild as he tries to comprehend what kind of a mess his life became, "And he turns into a wolf during night."

Ji Mong straightens his body, but he can't move.

"You have stumbled in a tragic story, 13th Prince Wang Baek Ah, and now whether you like it or not, you are lost in it," the man speaks solemnly, and he doesn't even flinch when he announces his identity so easily, "Now, what will you do, Your Highness? Even if you run now, you'll never be truly free."

.

.

.

.

"So now you know," Hae Soo says quietly when he returns, still facing the window and the lonely trees, the sky slowly turning into gray.

"Now I know," Baek Ah nods, even though she can't see him.

"What will you do?"

He takes a deep breath, remembering his reaction when Choi Ji Mong asked him the very same thing. Now, hours later, after having the entire night to muse over everything he just came to know, he has his answer.

"You know, all of this is just too big," he starts speaking, after a long night of reflection, "Until a few weeks ago, I was safe and comfortable in my mother's home. And now I've been dragged into this star-crossed lover's story, and I just don't know how to deal with all of this."

"I'm sorry."

"But you know what?" He changes his tone and Soo finally looks up at him, "You're the first person I can call a friend. And so is he, for some reason."

Her eyes lighten up when he mentions Wang So, "Then you talked to him?"

"Yeah, he's not so bad when he's not glaring at me," he pauses and sighs in defeat to her shining eyes, "Actually, he's a good person. And so are you. And if there's something I can't stand is good people enduring hardships."

"It's not that simple."

"Also, I just found out that that guy is my elder brother," he says, and there's a whole new different light to her face.

"What? You're So-wangjanim's brother? But you said…"

"I've been using my mother's name while traveling," he shrugs as if it's no big deal and reintroduces himself, "I'm actually Wang Baek Ah, 13th Prince of Goryeo. And I can't possibly ignore your situation and let you two finish your journey alone. No matter what, I'm coming."

Hae Soo's face is no longer sad or solemn, and she giggles after he's done with his inspirational speech and she looks like a spirit of the skies when the sunlight starts to glitter behind her, and reflect on her white clothes.

"Baek Ah-nim," she says, smiling, "Until later!"

Then she lets herself fall from the window.

Baek Ah jumps forward, his arms stretching to hold her and prevent her from going down, but a flash blinds him and when he manages to see again, there's a hawk flying high in the sky.

"She wants me to have a heart attack."

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.

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.

"You're here," Baek Ah meets So not a few hours later, at the base of the astronomer tower.

"What did he tell you?" He asks without looking at him, his eyes set in the morning sky.

"Everything," he replies and the man in black grunts.

"What about her?"

"Soo is fine."

As if on cue, there comes her, flying in circles above them. So raises his bandaged wrist and she lands down easily.

So takes a piece of jerked beef and feeds her carefully, and Baek Ah watches them with a stunned look, as this is the first time he sees the bird so close after knowing it is actually a person, so no one of them notices that Choi Ji Mong has joined them until he finally speaks.

"Wangjanim," he calls out, and they both turn around, even though Baek Ah knows he's talking to So, "What is your goal now?"

"I thought I told you already," his tone of voice is colder than when he faced the Hwangbo guards in the prison, "I'll kill him. And you can't stop me."

"Why can't you ever follow my advices?" The astronomer whines with a smile, as if the man's glare doesn't pierce him like knives, "I told you not to call off your wedding to the Hwangbo princess. That was why she did what she did."

"Yeon Hwa did what she did because she is a terrible person. You did what you did because you're a coward."

"I also miss Moo."

There is a pause. Baek Ah knows Moo is the name of his 1st brother, but he doesn't know what happened to him, nor how he died, to be able to intervene in their discussion. So he just continues listening.

"Stop talking in circles," the man snaps, but Ji Mong seems unfazed, "What precious message do your stars tell you?"

Then the astronomer's smile fades away, and he speaks solemnly, slowly, so his words won't be forgotten.

"A way to break the curse. If you wait, the day will come soon."

Baek Ah looks to the man and the hawk perched on his arm, waiting for some sort of reaction, some sort of sign that he has understood the message.

But So only scoffs in suspicion, "Ah, yes, the day without night, and the night without day."

His tone is sarcastic, but Ji Mong nods firmly.

"You two must show up in his presence by then," he continues his message, "As man and woman."

"Why is this time different?"

"He is here. The owner of the throne is about to change." The man points out to Baek Ah and starts counting the reasons with his fingers, "Your star as well as Soo-agassi's has risen in the palace, and the 8th Prince's is about to fade. And they already said that this curse shall break one day."

"Why didn't your stars say anything before the curse taking place? And why don't you ask them a more specific day?"

"The stars only say what we need to know," Ji Mong replies smiling once again, "And they don't answer to no one."

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.

.

.

They don't stay much afterwards.

Baek Ah was still trying to comprehend the man's line of thought, but then So groaned impatiently and climbed on his own horse, and he had no other choice but to do the same.

He was too lost in this weird adventure to stop now.

And now that he thinks about it, he has nothing else to do, as he knows his mission to visit the King is only a plot to take his life.

So he just follows the man in black that a few days before had rescued him from a high security prison, but that he now knows he turns into a wolf during sunset and that the hawk he carries around turns into the woman he loves.

Oh yeah, and also, he's his brother.

Excited with the new information, Baek Ah lunges forward, riding right beside him, as he speaks with an upbeat tone, "Did you know we are brothers?"

So's facial expression doesn't change for a second, nor does he look back at him when he replies drily, "Yes."

Baek Ah is speechless at his nonchalant attitude, and then, when he overcomes the shock, he's indignant.

"Why you never told me?"

"Why you said your family name was Kim and not Wang?"

"I was just being cautious."

"There you go."

His logic actually makes sense, but Baek Ah continues to complain.

"But we're brothers! Don't you think that's important?" he resorts to chastise So, "Are your brothers related to you for nothing?"

"Didn't Ji Mong tell you anything?"

So finally looks at him, an eyebrow arched up in a silent message, and then it dawns on Baek Ah what kind of family he actually has in the palace.

"Right, sorry," he lowers his glare and decides to ask something else, "But then, why did you save me?"

So pauses and takes a deep breath in contemplation. For a second, Baek Ah thinks he's not even going to answer and will continue to ignore him, but after a few moments he starts to speak.

"When you were playing before, I was listening from a distance," he says in a low voice, refusing to make eye contact as he remembers the day Baek Ah was arrested in the Hwanbgo lands, "You played her favorite song."

After his words, there is a moment of silence between them, as Baek Ah's eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Just because of that?"

"Yes," So grunts, and then he covers up his embarrassment with a stern face as he commands, "And now that we're out of Hwangbo, you can finally play for her. So don't forget it."

Before he can even look intimidated by his brother's authoritarian tone, he allows his incredulity and curiosity take action.

"Wait, you really saved me because of the song? What if I was a bad guy?"

So rolls his eyes, clearly uncomfortable with the turn their conversation had, but gives up on deflecting.

"Bad guys don't know that song. It's like…" he starts to explain, but then he groans in frustration when he can't find the words, "Argh, you can ask her that later, she's the one who came up with this logic."

.

.

.

.

Even though Baek Ah does feel a little more at ease now that they left the Hwangbo lands and that he has someone well versed in martial arts by his side, he still feels apprehensive to be out in public view. Especially since the man they are running away from has control over the entire country, and not just the territory of his clan.

This uneasiness does not show in So's body language, as he strides with complete naturality around the village they just arrived. He stops by the stalls merchants set up, and strolls around the market as if there is nothing wrong, and takes his sweet time browsing every single product they come across.

"Is it really safe here?"

"Provisions are low," So shrugs, unfazed by Baek Ah's concern, "Who cares about safety?"

"Can't you hunt, then?" His suggestion slips from his tongue before he can think about what he's saying. And when he does, So is already looking pointedly at him, a little bit offended, what makes him rephrase his question, "I don't mean, like, hunting at night. You're pretty great with your weapons to catch a prey aren't you?"

His glare fades away and he goes back to selecting a few vegetables from the stand.

"A balanced meal is the best thing to have a healthy body," he explains as he pays the man on the stand and passes the bag to Baek Ah, and he thinks he gets the man's point, but then he walks to a different stand and his confusion returns while he follows him.

"Why do you need new clothes?"

"Not me."

No further explanation is necessary. Even before he takes the first pre-made hanbok that catches his attention, Baek Ah already knows he's looking for something to give to Hae Soo, so he stops complaining.

Ideally, it would be best to buy fabric and then have someone to sew something with a decent fitting, but their circumstances were far from ideal. And it's not like they were going to be criticized about clothes a little too large or a little too short in the first place.

However, when So finally decides on a new set, Baek Ah can't stop himself from intervening.

"This one is too big." The man glares at him once again and Baek Ah shrugs, "I know a thing or two about clothing, alright?"

Which later proves to be a mistake, as So makes him spend the next half an hour looking for a suitable outfit for Soo, and that will also agree with her tastes. That exhausts him more than he ever expected to.

They are still camping rather than taking shelter in someone's house or an inn on the roadside - apparently they had a few problems when they were in such places - and making their own meals - which, Baek Ah learned, was something So learned how to do by himself when he was a young boy, so they have to return to the woods as they finish shopping, and soon, So is following his usual routine before disappearing through the trees right before the sun starts to set.

"I'm going now," he reminds him, just like every other day, right after walking out from the cave, "Watch the entrance closely until she comes out."

"Very well," he nods firmly, even though his repetition is starting to annoy him.

"And give this to her," he raises a hand and gives him a flower hairpin, that Baek Ah didn't see him buying before.

"Alright."

"Take my sword if anything happens," He points out as he starts to walk away, "Don't let her look for trouble."

"Understood."

"Baek Ah-yah," So turns around and hesitates for a second before saying something else, "Tell her I love her."

He nods quietly, but puts on a small smile.

"Yes, hyungnim."

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.

.

"He bought a new hanbok? Why didn't you convince him not to waste money like this?" Soo comes out of the cave protesting, but she has a large smile on her face, and twirls the fabric of her skirt around her ankles like a small child.

"You speak as if I can actually change his mind."

"He wouldn't let you taking care of me if he didn't trust his judgment."

"I'm glad he trusts me, but I'm still not about to contradict him." The memory of So's pointy glare makes a chill climb down his back, so he decides to change topics, "And also, it's nice to wear new clothes after so much time with only that old set you had and that black cloak. Where is it, by the way?"

"He didn't leave it to me this time. I think it's because it's warmer here," she answers casually and only then does Baek Ah realizes that the black cloak he always saw her wearing before was actually So's. However, Soo doesn't seem to notice the progression of his thoughts, her mind distracted with something else, "Oh, good. Finally something that's not just a bunch of meat. You know, a balanced meal is the best thing to have a healthy body."

She starts devouring the food immediately, and Baek Ah, still taken aback as he asks himself why he never realized it before, can only scoff and take his own bowl to eat.

"Yeah, I think I heard that somewhere," he mumbles and then remembers So's request, "Oh, right, he told me to give you this."

Her eyes illuminate the second she sees the hairpin, and she even forgets about her meal, putting her bowl down and taking the jewelry with the utmost reverence with both of her hands.

"I thought it was lost forever," she says wistfully, her smile a mix of longing and fondness, as she put it carefully on the simple bun of her hair. Then she looks back at him, and giggles in amusement, the aura of reverence broken, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Hey, I'm still processing everything."

Baek Ah exasperated complaining only makes her laugh even more.

"Right. I think I got used to it already."

They resume eating in silence, her smile fades gradually as she starts to internally muse about things. Until she can't stop herself from asking it out loud.

"He's taking us back to Songak, isn't he?"

So had asked him not to tell anything unless she asked, to prevent her from worrying about things. But Soo's question it's not even a question to start with, just the constatation of a fact, so he only nods.

"Do you hate Songak that much?"

"I lost almost everyone I loved there," she plays with the rest of her food, but her gaze is lost in memories, "There aren't that many people left that I still care about."

"Then it wouldn't matter where you are as long as you're with him, right?"

"Have you ever been to the palace, Wangjanim?"

The formal addressing she uses, instead of only calling him Baek Ah-nim like she used to, is so heavy and suffocating, despite being called like that his whole life at his mother's house, that he knows the answer immediately.

"That bad?"

Her smile is bitter and, instead of giving more information, she shakes her head and changes topics.

"Back at the astronomer tower, did Ji Mong say anything to you two?"

"Weren't you there as well?"

"I don't have conscience during the day," she reminds him, exasperated, and he winces for being so forgetful, "It's like I'm sleeping."

"The astronomer said a lot of stuff, but I didn't understand much," he answers, as he tries to remember all the enigmatic stuff Choi Ji Mong blurted out after giving him an abridged narrative about the Hwangbo curse, but it's not as easy as it seems, "I know hyungnim wasn't very pleased about it."

"I have yet to find someone who understands what that man says."

She shrugs and Baek Ah is about to change topics once again, when he realizes that there are a few things bothering him ever since they left the astronomer tower, and that he hasn't gathered enough courage to ask So.

"Where is the Hwangbo princess?" his question comes all of a sudden and Soo looks at him as if he's crazy, "He mentioned her briefly, but..."

"I don't know," her answer comes out sharply, and that should be a signal for him to let the matter be, but he presses on anyway.

"Did he kill her?"

"I don't know," she repeats, a little louder this time, "We haven't been able to talk properly for a while, you know?"

"But…"

"Yes, they say he did," she sighs and seems to lose a bit of patience, "But they also say Jeongjong is still king, that the 8th prince is a loyal subject to the throne. They also say that we are dead, that he died in battle and I died because of a weak heart, and because of that we have to run and hide all the time." decision decision

"I'm sorry."

"I don't care what they say," she speaks softly this time, and her face shows a serene and completely eased expression, "I won't get to any conclusions. The only truth I'll accept is the one that comes from his mouth."

"What if he lies?"

"He does not lie to me."

"What if he did? What if he killed her?"

"Well… She deserved it."

Baek Ah doesn't know what else he expected.

So, instead of being shocked or dumbstrucked, he continues to retell her what he heard from Ji Mong.

"Right, the astronomer mentioned something about breaking the curse?"

Soo nods calmly, "The day without night."

"So you've heard."

"No matter how much we've tried before, we couldn't understand the astronomer's message," her eyes get lost in the past once again, "In the beginning, we would stick around Songak, so we could break the curse when this day came. But after being almost caught a few times, So-wangjanim grew impatient. We've been scouring the entire nation, looking for a solution, but now we're headed back. That can only mean he gave up on researching as well."

Soo gives him a meaningful look, and doesn't say anything else. But he can see where she's getting at, so he only sighs in defeat.

"You know him too well."

"He wants to kill Wook-wangjanim, doesn't he?"

She sounds miserable when she says it, even though just a few moments before she sounded perfectly at ease with the idea of So killing Hwangbo Yeon Hwa. But rather than trying to understand her motives, the only thing he can do is try to lift her spirit up.

"But only because he misses you so badly," he reassures her as quick as possible, and before he can help himself he starts rambling, "Because he wants you to be free and by his side once again. He said it so himself. He said you're the most precious thing he has, and that he can't imagine."

"Did he really say all that?"

"He did. Every single word."

"That's weird, he never talks that much." Her tone shows clearly that she wasn't fooled for one second. But she smiles brightly, and he thinks his little lie was worth it.

"It was implied," he shrugs and she laughs.

"Tell me everything else he told you. It's so great to have someone to keep company," Soo says with mirth, and then suddenly she jumps to her feet, "Wait, we could go to the village."

"Why? We have food here."

"But we have no alcohol. That's no good. Come on."

Soo starts to run down the slope, but Baek Ah catches her arm and makes her stop on her tracks, "Hyungnim clearly said to not let you look for trouble."

"He's not going to get mad at me for having fun."

"It's not about you that I'm worried here," he grumbles and she pouts.

"Oh, come on," Soo whines like a small child, and doesn't even look like the same woman that seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders, "I have a new hanbok, and you're saying I have to be confined in the woods?"

"Soo-yah..." His voice falters at her shining eyes, and, for a moment, he lets his guard down.

That's all she needs to be able to drag him along as she dashes down to the village.

"I knew you would understand. Let's go."

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.

.

.

Songak is not as pretty as he expected.

That impression of his was probably biased by his knowledge of what kind of stuff happens inside the walls of the palace, but the city does look a little miserable. The people seem to be unhappy as well, but those civilians couldn't ever dream to challenge the king or voice their dissatisfaction.

They set their camping on the outskirts of the town, on the safest place So could remember. And for a while, they just wait.

"For what?" Baek Ah asked for clarification one day.

"For the right time," So replied, his gaze locked in the distant palace.

The third day after arriving in the city, Baek Ah doesn't know what right time is this. Neither does Soo, by the way. And he starts to feel ever more apprehensive and anxious, unsure of what is about to happen.

"What if something happens to you?"

"It won't."

"But what if it does? You must have thought about that."

"It doesn't matter what happens to me."

"You know that if you get yourself killed you'll kill her too, right?" Baek Ah takes Soo side and voices her arguments in her place, "She doesn't want you to die for her, she wants both of you to live together."

So only sighs at his remark, but he still sounds determined when he speaks.

"Part of me still hopes that Ji Mong is right. The other part is too desperate to be any cautious. So I got to a decision. I would wait for the exorcism ritual, and if nothing happened by then, I would kill Wook."

The day of the exorcism ritual is the next day.

Which means he was waiting for the day without night all this time.

And that now he was done with waiting at all.

"Are you sure?"

"Tell her that," he says as he stands up, looking back to the hut he left just a few seconds ago, "And if I don't come back, tell her I'm sorry."

So starts to walk away and suddenly his words make sense in Baek Ah's head.

"Wait, you're going now?"

"Take her to your home," he calls out, but he doesn't stop to look behind, "Take care of her and don't return to Songak ever again."

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.

The Sun seems to take forever to set, and Soo seems to take an eternity to show up. And when she does, Baek Ah is already panicking.

"What's wrong?" She asks after he jumps to his feet when she comes closer to him.

"Hyungnim said he'll kill our 8th brother tomorrow," he blurts out at once, speaking a little too quickly, and Soo has to blink a few times in confusion until she understands what he means.

"That's too reckless," Soo shakes her head vividly and speaks in an incredulous tone, "That day will be the easiest one to enter the palace, but also the hardest. The security will be too tight. He'll only get himself killed. Baek Ah-nim, tell him not to."

"He left already."

"What?"

"He left. Today," Baek Ah says urgently, pointing to the spot he last saw his brother, "He went down the mountain and he left."

"He's insane."

And, just to prove that both of them were also matched in insanity, Hae Soo goes down the same way So left before, with Baek Ah running behind, trying to stop her.

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.

"Is this where he came to?" Baek Ah looks around the small grotto that would have passed unnoticed by him if Soo didn't know exactly where it was.

"So-wangjanim doesn't know this entrance," Soo explains still walking as fast as possible through the stone bridge, "It's… a very ancient path."

"But you do?"

"I lived in the Damiwon for years, so I know every single spot here."

"Then why didn't we use it before?"

She pauses and stops walking for the first time since she dashed out of the woods, and then turns around slowly to speak with him.

"Because the 8th Prince knows it as well."

"Soo-yah!"

"I have to stop him. No matter what," her expression shows she knows she's being crazy for taking such a risky route, but she doesn't care, "He's taking a suicide mission on his shoulders, all alone, and I can't bear to lose someone else," she goes up to him, clenching her hands on his robes, as if she fears he'll try to stop her, "Baek Ah-nim, I can't lose him."

Her tearful eyes reflect his inner turmoil. But he can only imagine what kind of hardships she went through in the past few years, and how close she is to the edge of complete despair. So he can only sigh and ease the tension from her hands, as he mentions to her keep moving forward.

"Let's just hurry and hide somewhere inside."

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.

.

"The sun is about to rise."

"Yes."

"What if killing him doesn't put an end to the curse?"

"Then we run."

"What if Hyungnim dies?"

"Then… kill me."

"What?"

"Take my dagger. And kill me."

"Soo-yah, I can't."

"I've been living like this for more than two years, and I feel like I'm about to lose my mind. The only reason that has kept me moving forward was the hope to be with him one more time. If I don't have that, Baek Ah-nim…"

"He asked me to protect you, and now you ask me to kill you?"

"Baek Ah-nim."

"I'll go there. Tomorrow, I'll be in the courtyard. I'll make sure he doesn't get killed alright? You just have to wait, and you'll both find a way out of this mess and be together, alright?"

.

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.

.

He should have asked for Hae Soo to draw a map.

It turns out that walking while pretending to be a soldier is not an easy job, and he gets lost a couple of times before finding the courtyard.

And when he does, it's already too late.

Actually, his plan consisted in finding So before he marched with his sword to face his foes and defeated countless soldiers who dared to step on his way. He wanted to find his brother before he even started the suicide mission Hae Soo was so scared of, and then knock him out with his gaygayageum.

He would also have to carry him outside as if there was nothing out of the ordinary, but Baek Ah would worry about that later.

However, when he finds the place Hae Soo described to him, he also finds So, his sword tainted with blood, as he goes up to the throne where a veiled man sits.

Having arrived to this kind of situation, he can only hide behind the flags spread around and keep watch to make sure his brother will either come out of this alive, or that he'll need help to be dragged outside from the palace.

Baek Ah can only watch in silence as he takes his destiny into his hands.

The guards who were present in the courtyard are now dead or unconscious, but it won't be long until the reinforcements arrive. So his brother doesn't hesitate when he points the sword to the man with the veil on his face, and Baek Ah doesn't even need to ask to know that that's the 8th Prince posing as the 3rd Monarch.

The man wears white robes of rich and fine silk, contrasting intensely with the black and battered clothes of his opponent. But, despite having good combat skills, it only takes a few seconds before he's unarmed and defenseless, his mask fallen to the ground.

Wang Wook, however, doesn't show even the slightest bit of concern, and smirks slowly as he raises a finger.

"But kill me, So, and the curse will go on forever," his voice is sardonic and his tone is clearly meant to rile and make him waver, "We must think of Hae Soo."

The man in black does not answer, nor does he show any conflicts or struggles.

"I am," he whispers and the man in white's smile falters, "I'm doing this for her."

In the couple of seconds So takes to raise his sword for the attack a large succession of events happens. And if Baek Ah wasn't with his eyes wide open, he would have missed them.

A wave of soldiers arrives from the gates, running around the courtyard full of dead bodies, but not moving forward to attack or defend anyone. They hold their positions and seem to wait for orders.

Wook's expression of scorn, and then his momentary unsettling, fades into a sheer of pure shock, as his mouth hangs open in surprise and his eyes bulge in an almost comical look.

But what makes Baek Ah move out from his hiding place is the realization that the Sun is actually smaller than it was a few minutes before, and it continues to fade away.

"Hyungnim!" He shouts, using his stolen sword to the sky and to the vanishing sun behind him, and then the entire courtyard is filled with silence and stupor, as the afternoon light slowly dissipates and only the penumbra remains.

Baek Ah can almost listen to the machinations So's brain is making, and then, when they both look to Wook, they know exactly what is happening right now.

A day without night.

A night without day.

Wook turns around and starts to dash away, but Baek Ah is the perfect position, and thankfully with the perfect reflexes, to raise his sword and block his passage - the other man doesn't need to know that he's not versed with it to be intimidated by the sharp weapon - just long enough until So catches him up, taking him down to the ground and using his dagger right next to his neck to prevent him from moving.

"Baek Ah-yah, hurry! Go take Soo and…"

"That won't be necessary."

So and Baek Ah - and Wook as well, because he doesn't actually have a choice in the matter - look up to the voice that called up behind them, and see the astronomer Choi Ji Mong standing beside the man who seems to be the leader of the soldiers that arrived earlier.

But all eyes are suddenly attracted to the small figure that comes from behind him.

Soo's only wearing the white under layers of her Hanbok, looking messy and a little dirty. Her long hair is down and she has no jewelry or ribbons to adorn her pale face and thin arms. Her feet are bare as she walks towards the stairs, and she doesn't even seem to care about her clothes dragging on the dirty floor.

And yet, she looks beautiful and radiant.

Taken by surprise, So can only watch her in awe and silence for a few seconds. But then his senses return and he lets go of the man in white as he rushes forward to her.

Meanwhile, Wook has shut his eyes tightly and turned his face away from the woman approaching them. The only reason he doesn't try to escape once again is Baek Ah's quick reaction to take So's place after he moves away from the man.

But still, Baek Ah can't draw his eyes away from that moment.

They approach each other slowly, but still eagerly. Soo looks relieved and yet a bit apprehensive, as if this is all some happy dream about to fade. But then So finally reaches her, holding her face with his hands.

Then he holds her tightly, as if he's a thirsty man who just found water, but carefully, as if she's made of the most frail and precious thing in the world. And she looks to him as if she's just come back to life again, an exhilarated smile of someone finding out that their best dream is a reality.

It's a beautiful scene indeed, and even though Baek Ah is actually smiling as well, he can't let them get too caught on themselves for now.

"Hyungnim." He cleans his throat, calling the attention of the man in black, who suddenly seems to realize his situation and turns around, his eyes darkening once again as he marches to Wook, dragging Soo behind him.

"You!" He shouts and charges forward, letting go of Soo's hand to hold his dagger against the man's neck once again, his anger returning once again when he sees he has his eyes tight shut, "Look at me! Look at me, right now!"

So seems to be about to do something extreme - perhaps removing Wook's eyelids himself - but Soo puts a hand on his shoulder and makes him stop, her eyes hardening as she silently approaches the man in white.

And when she's right before him, she says in a cold and stiff voice, "Wangjanim."

That single word is stronger than any threat So could utter, and Wook slowly opens his eyes, only to find Soo staring back at him. For a second, she doesn't move nor does she say a word, but then she raises her hands and holds out a jade bracelet with red strings for him.

Baek Ah's not completely sure of what that bracelet means, but by the way Wook's body tenses, is definitely something that bothers him, so he's fine with it.

He's even more fine when Soo's lets it fall to the ground and Wook flinches.

"You could never own me, Wangjanim," Soo speaks in a daunting tone Baek Ah never saw her use before, "Not even with a chain or in a cage."

She walks back slowly, until her back touches So's chest, who watches their exchange in silence. And Wook can't look away from her. From them.

Wook can't look away from both of them, as man and woman.

And simply like that, their curse is broken.

.

.

.

.

Baek Ah is too stunned to do anything when Wook advances.

Well, it's not like he was ever very skilled to begin, as his previous blocks and attacks on Wook were his luck being the best in the world. Eventually, it would shift to the worst ever once again.

And said moment is when Wook takes a hidden dagger from his robes and lunges forward to kill - who, Baek Ah is not so sure of - uncaring about the consequences of his actions.

Baek Ah is too slow to act, but So isn't. And the second Wook steps forward, he has already raised his sword and pulled Soo behind him, slashing the man's chest.

Soo and Baek Ah cry in shock and surprise, but they breath out in relief when they realize the blood that spills on the ground isn't So's. And then they finally relax their tensed bodies when Wook's lifeless body falls to the ground.

It's over.

The sound of heavy steps comes from behind them and their eyes turn away from the dead man to see the two figures Baek Ah saw in front of the army approaching them.

"Great General Park." There's familiarity in So's voice when he greets the man beside the Astronomer Choi Ji Mong, but he still stands protectively in front of Hae Soo and holds his sword tightly.

The man, however, doesn't look offended and just laugh at So's attitude.

"Relax, kid," he speaks in a jesting tone, "I'm not here to arrest you."

"Even though I just killed the King?"

"The one who kills a king becomes a traitor," Ji Mong replies, as enigmatic as ever, and Baek Ah still doesn't know what the man is doing there, "The one who kills a traitor becomes a hero. I'm pretty sure everyone here could witness who the man under the mask was. That only leaves one possible scenario."

"What is it?"

"Really?" The Great General seems frustrated by So's question, "You should be smart enough to understand that. What did you even read all of those books for?"

There is a moment of silence, in which So looks back to Soo before shaking his head and speaking in a resolute voice, "I don't want it."

"Wangjanim," Soo puts a hand on his arm, and smiles when he looks at her, "No more sacrifices for me."

"But Soo-yah…"

"You want it. And unlike your brothers, you'll be perfect for the job. It's what you're born for."

"What about you?" He asks, worried, but Soo only smiles even more.

"It doesn't matter where I am as long as I'm with you."

"Soo-yah…"

He's about to argue and protest - Baek Ah, on the other hand, is about to demand that someone explains to him what's going on - but Soo falls down to her knees before he can say anything, and proclaims with a loud voice that echoes through the courtyard.

"Greetings to the new king. Long live, long live, long live the king."

Baek Ah loses all rationality. He loses the ability to form a coherent thought. And he only has his mechanical reflexes to blame when he kneels down with the rest of the entire courtyard. But he only listens, dumbfounded, when all the ones present shout in a single voice.

"Greetings to the new king! Long live! Long live! Long live the king!"

.

.

.

.

He's still kneeling down when everyone leaves, a look of complete confusion on his face, and he can only hear So's and Soo's laugh as said woman finally decides they had enough fun teasing his behavior and helps him stand up again.

"Baek Ah-nim," she speaks giggling, which would be annoying for him any other day, but now he can only look at her in awe, "I'm sure you were planning to return to Gyeongju as soon as everything was settled, but do you think you could stay until the new king's coronation?"

"Forget that," So laughs beside him, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling him behind as they walk to the inside of the palace, "I'll make him stay forever."

The sudden pull on his body seems to wake him up, and protests against his brother's hold - which is very close to hurting him.

"Eh? Hyungnim!"

"What?" So's grin is almost disturbing if it wasn't so easing and alleviating, "Are your brothers related to you for nothing?"

And that's when Baek Ah realizes.

His brother - and also apparently self-proclaimed best friend - is king. Hae Soo - also self-proclaimed best friend - is most likely going to be the new queen of Goryeo. The Sun is already back, almost setting down in the horizon, and they stand together side by side.

Yes, even when if sometimes it seems to be the worst, he pretty much has the best luck in the world.


End file.
